The present invention relates to the harvesting of the viscera from the carcass of a chicken so that the viscera is completely removed from the chicken during food processing.
In the processing of fowl such as chickens, the viscera is pulled by a machine typically referred to as an eviscerator from the interior cavity of the chicken so that it hangs outside the chicken. Prior eviscerators for pulling the viscera from the interior cavity of the fowl without separation from the carcass are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,262,387; 3,685,096; and Re. 28,666. Each of the eviscerators includes a tool for scooping and pulling the viscera out of the carcass to a position where the viscera hangs on the outside of the carcass. There is no harvesting by complete separation from the carcass by these devices. In the overhanging position, the viscera is visible for inspection and the gizzard and liver may be harvested. After the liver and gizzard have been harvested, it has been typical to cut the viscera below the stomach and then remove the remaining viscera by hand.
The prior methods of finally separating viscera from the carcass have .Iadd.generally .Iaddend.been limited to manual processes.
However, the process of finally removing the viscera by manual operation is one which requires much labor. This also requires that further labor be spent further down the processing line to remove the crop which has been left after the viscera has been severed below the stomach. This process for removing the crop after the viscera has been removed requires that the attendant pull the neck down and grasp the crop with his index and third fingers which is a very tedious and labor intensive process.
Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for the automatic harvesting, by complete separation from the carcass of a fowl, the viscera of the fowl which has been pulled out of the interior cavity and left in an overhang position during food processing.
Another important object of the present invention is to provide apparatus and a method for automatically removing the viscera including the crop and esophagus.
Still another important object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for automatically removing the entire viscera of a fowl which is compact and occupies very little of the conveyor line space in a chicken processing line.
Still another important object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for automatically removing the entire viscera from a chicken after the viscera has been processed which includes a special gripping device which positively clamps the viscera section between the stomach and crop without letting the tract slide so that the entire remaining viscera is pulled out and completely separated and removed from the body of the chicken.
Yet another important object of the present invention is to provide apparatus and method for removing the entire viscera from a fowl in a fowl processing line wherein a plurality of radially mounted gripping devices which positively clamp the viscera tract are rotated in a circular path which is inclined to the horizontal such that the gripping devices are successively brought into operational alignment with fowl carcasses successively conveyed past the gripping devices.
Yet a final important object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for automatically removing the entire viscera completely from a fowl which includes a gripping device having a contoured surface permitting the device to insert easily into a vent opening of the fowl and means for reciprocating the gripping device in and out of the carcass of the fowl during separation.